Improvement in trunk-fastenings



W. 1. HENRY. Trunk-Fastenings.

10.154,331. A' Patented Aug.25,187 4.

YNE SFAFKIC COMCTO 'LIT-LSSIUU PARK PLACE, NX,

UNITED STATEs PATENT GEFICE.

WILLI-Ain J. HENRY, PORTLAND, MAINE.

Speciication forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,331, dated August 25, 1874 application filed March 27, 1874.

To all whomt may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. HENRY, of Por-tland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Fastenings and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts broken out. Fig. 2 is a top plan.

Same letters show like parts.

The purpose of my invention is to produce an improvement in fastening the lids of trunks and other articles.

ltconsists', rst, of the combination of two plates, one of which is to be attached to the body of the trunk, the other to the lid thereof, the onefastened to the lid having a tongue and spring-catch, to operate in conjunction with a rack in the plate on the body of the trunk, for the purpose of holding'v the lid in a partially-'closed position7 as is hereinafter more fully` set forth; second, in the combination of the two plates above mentioned, the upper one of which has a hinged tongue and spring-catch, the other a rack and aperture, with a lock placed in the lower end of the plate fastened to the trunk-body.

a shows the plate or part to be attached to the forward edge of the trunk-lid. b is a plate o r part to be attached to the body `of the trunk, immediately beneath,y and in a line with the plate a. Attached to the plate a, by a hinge or pivot, is the tongue c. This tongue fits into the slot d in the plate b. On the under side of this tongue is the spring e, furnished with the hook or catch f, to catch into the toothed rack g, secured within the slot in the plate bin a proper position. In the lower end of the tongue c is made the opening h, to receive the bolt 1l of a lock placed in the lower end la of the plate -b,which is made hollow to receive it.

when the na of the trunk is closed, the

lower end of the plate a and the upper end of the plate b rest together, so as to keep the lid in proper position.

The purposeof the spring and toothed rack is to aid in closing the lid of a trunk when the trunk is so full that the lid is not easily closed tightly down, but requires pressure to force it completely down. Under such circumstances the tongue is placed in the slot of the lower plateb with the hook of the spring e resting on one of the teeth of the rack. This, it will/ be seen, by thus catching in the rack, will hold the lid down to the extent to which it has been pressed, and will prevent the lid from Viiying up or open when the pressure is removed. For instance, if any of the articles protrude when the lid has been nearly closed down, the user can remove the pressure employed to force it down without the lid flying open any farther, it being held in the position to which it was pressed by the hook of the spring in the toothed rack. The articles can then be .tucked within the trunk,`and the lid closed down. When the lid vis closed, the tongue is pressed down, so that the bolt of the lock will enter the aperture in the lower end of the tongue,`thus keeping the tongue in the slot of the lower plate, and the 'trunk securely fastened. rEhe spring also serves the purpose of throwing the tongue out of the slot when the bolt of the lock is withdrawn and the trunk is to be opened.

I do not claim an arrangement consisting hasp of a 1ock, to bring an eXtra pressure upon 'the hasp, in order to draw tighter together the joint between the cover and the body of the trunk, as is shown in vPatent No. 38,465, to L. Gantel, May l2, 1863. My device has no arrangement to draw down the trunk-lid, but it is pressed down by force apof pressing down the lids of ordinary trunks. My invention has an arrangement to hold down the lid to any extent to which it may be pressed by hand o r otherwise, and this is the spring e furnished with a hook or catch f, in connection with the rack g.

of a screw and a nut, in combination with the l plied to the top of it, in the ordinary manner My invention has not forts object to tightenV c, spring-catch e f, and rack g, to hold a trunklid in a partially-closed position, as and for the purposes herein described.

2. The combination of the plates a and b,

hinged tongue c, springcatch ef, rack y, and aperture h with a lock placed in the lower end k of the plate b, as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of March, 1874.

WILLIAM J. HENRY. Witnesses:

WILLIAM HENRY CLIFFORD, FRANK H; J oRDAN. 

